Commemorating the Gandhian Satyagraha centenary

Kumar RUPESINGHE

The Indian High Commission in partnership with the Foundation for Co
Existence is organising an exhibition to commemorate the centenary
anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagraha campaign which will be held
at the National Art Gallery from September 2 to 5.

NON VIOLENCE: The exhibition will feature nearly 350 photographs
depicting the different facets of the life of Gandhi, donated by the
Gandhi National Museum in New Delhi.

In addition, documentaries and films of Gandhi will be shown at the
exhibition. Visitors will also have the opportunity of purchasing many
interesting books on Gandhi, non violence and other related subjects.

A unique aspect of this exhibition will be a display of personal
belongings of Gandhi such as the plate, cup, spectacles, walking stick
and slippers used by him. Thus, this exhibition would provide the ideal
opportunity for all Sri Lankans to learn about Mahatma Gandhi and his
philosophy.

Mahatma Gandhi

This exhibition came about as a result of the discussions held at the
Conference on Peace, Non-Violence and Empowerment, Gandhian Philosophy
in the 21st Century, organised by the Indian National Congress held in
Delhi from January 29 -30, 2007.

The celebration of the 100th anniversary of Satyagraha was to
commemorate the beginning of the Satyagraha movement inaugurated by
Mahatma Gandhi in the campaign against the registration of Indians in
South Africa in 1896.

The meeting was also to re evaluate and refashion Mahatma Gandhi’s
thinking for the 21st century; whether his philosophy of non violence
was still relevant to the 21st century, particularly after the events of
9/11, when suicide terrorism became the order of the day.

It was debated whether the concept of Satyagraha and its meaning
could be relevant to a world in which terror and violence dominates the
realist landscape of power politics and how the principles of Satyagraha
can be applied to situations of terrorism and counter terrorism which we
now witness in most parts of the world, including in Sri Lanka.

The influence of Gandhi

There is no question that Gandhi had a profound influence in the
reshaping of world history. In India, Gandhi was an inspiration for
freedom and independence around which the Indian National Congress
converged.

He was the spiritual leader of the country. His values of Satyagraha,
Sarvodaya, and Self Rule had a profound influence in the struggle
against British Imperialism and continue to have an enduring value in
India.

Gandhi not only propounded an ideology but lived his talk and focused
on the inner self. The totality of Gandhi’s teaching and example
inspired millions of people in India and gave pride to its local
cultures and traditions.

Through Gandhi, India has been able to find its own centre of gravity
and values. To quote from Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India
“the ideas that Mahatma Gandhi is remembered for are based on universal
ideals”.

Many “isms” battle in our minds, but few succeed in touching our
hearts. Many political ideologies have come and gone over the past
century, some with doubtful legacies and others with terrible
consequences.

The only political philosophy that I believe will remain relevant for
as long as humankind seeks peace, peace in our societies, peace between
nations and peace with nature, will be the ideas and values we
associated with Mahatma Gandhi.

Gandhi no doubt also had a profound influence in the world. He
influenced Nelson Mandela during the early phase of the African National
Congress and it was only in the last phase, given the brutality of the
Apartheid regime that the ANC resorted to limited forms of violence.

It certainly influenced Archbishop Tutu and a host of others in South
Africa and his philosophy of reconciliation determined the final outcome
of the solution where Nelson Mandela and De Klerk were able to agree on
a non violent transformation.

Pragmatic politics avoided a bloodbath in South Africa. The influence
of Gandhi was equally important for Martin Luther King, who through his
non violent approach was able to steer the frustrations and anger of the
black community into constructive engagement.

Gandhi and his teachings were a primary inspiration in the so called
velvet revolution in Eastern Europe against Soviet domination.

Will Gandhi however remain an icon to be adulated and honoured or are
there in his teachings and practice, spiritual and social guidance that
can be adapted to the requirements of the 21st century? The Marxist
doctrine which co-existed with Gandhian philosophy has come to its
demise, as prophesied by Mahatma Gandhi.

When Gandhi was confronted with the Bolshevik Revolution, he replied
that the Revolution showed great promise in its struggle for equality
but suggested that we have to wait 50 years to see the results.

Today, the Soviet Union has collapsed and some of the leading figures
in the anti Soviet movement were themselves Gandhians such as Lech
Walesa of Poland and V clav Havel of Czechoslovakia.

The question is whether the younger generation and the poor will
embrace Gandhian methods in their struggle against oppression and
inequity.

Will Gandhi’s values provide a value framework for steering the
destiny of our personal goals as well as the nation? The challenge is
how Gandhian values can inspire and motivate the youth towards social
change.

Significance of Gandhian philosophy to Sri Lanka

Now, it may be the time to reflect on the future of Sri Lanka, in the
context of India and the Gandhian movement of Satyagraha.

Sri Lanka received its independence from the British easily and our
founding fathers were to a large extent from the westernized elite. Sri
Lanka never had a Gandhi, although there were those who were influenced
by him.

Our primary source for social change came from the Marxist and
Trotskyite Left movement which had its origins in the Bolshevik
Revolution.

Then the two major youth insurgencies in the South were also were
informed by half baked Marxist discourses coupled with a mixture of
populism and with a creed in violence and destruction.

True there were efforts at non-violent protest campaigns and
Satyagraha movements such as the early resurgence of Satyagraha by the
Tamil National Movement, which were brutally suppressed by the
Government of the time.

The non violent and democratic concerns expressed by the Tamil
parties were also ignored by increasingly intolerant Sinhalese
governments.

In their efforts to redress the injustices committed against the
Sinhalese by the British, the Tamils suffered the consequences and were
marginalised.

It was then the turn for the Tamil militant movement to take to arms
and a creed of violence and intolerance became the hallmark of the
militant movement.

Eventually, Tamils started killing each other in a never ending
fratricidal war and for the last two decades the country has been torn
by violence and all forms of terrorism.

It is only when the citizens in all parts of the country realize the
futility of war that an alternative can be found.

The problem in Sri Lanka is not only the war, for the war is only a
manifestation of a deeper crisis which is deep rooted. There is a crisis
of confidence and no value frame which can unite the entire country.

This requires an alternative vision for Sri Lanka and this requires
that citizens are imbued with values of non violence and organize
themselves.

In Sri Lanka, we have voters to show their protest through the vote,
but thereafter become bystanders. What is required is a citizenship,
where people decide that they wish to be an agency of social
transformation.

It is hoped that this exhibition would form the base which will
provide the necessary inspiration and guidance for such an initiative.